


it's part of my chemistry, this jealousy

by sunshinexbomb



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-08
Updated: 2014-02-08
Packaged: 2018-01-11 14:06:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1173964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshinexbomb/pseuds/sunshinexbomb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He’s not like, in love or anything, but well. Michael just likes making Luke smile and he likes cuddling with Luke more than he likes cuddling with anyone and sometimes when he gets into one of his moods and snaps at Luke, he feels a lot worse about it than when he does it to Cal or Ash. </p><p>--</p><p>In which Niall comes to spend the night and Michael is ridiculously jealous that Luke keeps giving him heart eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	it's part of my chemistry, this jealousy

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing 5SOS fic so I hope it's okay! I really didn't mean for it to be any longer than like 2k words, but I guess it got away from me a bit woops.
> 
> I do not own 5 Seconds of Summer and this is obviously a work of fiction. Title is taken from Darren Criss's "Jealousy". Unbeta'd so all mistakes are my own. Please let me know if you find anything and I'll fix it!

The first time Niall rings Ashton and asks if they’re free to hang out for a bit, they’re too busy which Michael thinks is quite ridiculous. He never thought he’d live in a world where he’d be forced to turn down invitations to hang out with _Niall Horan_ of all people. Actually, Michael never thought he’d live in a world where he got invitations from people like Niall in the first place - but that’s a whole other story.  
   
They don’t really get a free day until the night before the single is supposed to drop, and that’s when Niall finally comes over. They invite him to the London House and he shows up at their door, leaning on his crutches, but smiling wide like he’s never been happier.  
   
“Great to see you, lads!” he exclaims and Michael can’t help the smile that slips on his face because he really has missed the boys from One Direction.  
   
Somehow Niall convinces Liz to the take the night off - Michael’s forgotten how ridiculously charming he is - and they’re left alone, just five boys in a big house. Immediately they pile in front of the TV, an array of snacks and drinks in front of them, and it’s really nice. Being with Niall is easy, familiar, and it almost sort of feels like being back on tour. There’s a part of him that expects Louis to come in and spray them all with silly string or to hear Harry playfully bickering with Lou or something even though he knows that thought is ridiculous.  
   
“How’s your knee?” Calum asks when they’re all settled in, some movie playing in the background. Michael’s not really paying attention, but he thinks it’s _Anchorman_ or something else they’ve all seen a billion and one times already.  
   
Niall’s sitting on the opposite end of the sofa from Michael, Luke in between the two of them. Michael’s cuddled up to Luke’s side, and he cranes his neck a little to peek at Niall over the top of his head. Michael thinks Luke’s stupidly tall even though they’re nearly the same height.  
   
“It’s alright, actually,” Niall says, rubbing a hand over his knee cap. “Bit of a pain in the arse having to use these damn crutches all the time but - well, it could’ve gone a lot worse couldn’t it have?”  
   
“Has it perks though, doesn’t it?” Ashton giggles. “Heard you’re doing physio with Chelsea. That is like completely awesome!”  
   
Niall nods excitedly at that, face brightening up considerably. “Yeah, oh my God, it’s so cool. Never thought I’d get a chance to say I trained with Chelsea. It’s amazing.”  
   
“You’re living the dream aren’t you?” Calum pouts. “Selling out stadiums. Passing balls with Chelsea players. What else could you ask for in life?”  
   
Michael and Ashton nod in agreement and Luke looks at Niall with stars in his eyes.  
   
Something about Luke's amazement sets Michael on edge, and he tries to push away the angry churning in his stomach. Luke looks at everyone that way, there's no reason to be like jealous or whatever.  
   
Except, okay, Michael is totally jealous. He just doesn’t like how Luke keeps giving Niall these looks of love and affection and how easily Niall makes him laugh and smile. It’s completely ridiculous, and Michael knows it, but he can feel his mood dampening quickly, especially when Luke leans slightly away from him and Niall throws a casual arm around his shoulders.  
   
Luke’s always cuddly, but this is different from when he’s snuggled up with Ashton or Calum. Michael knows that’s nothing. In the back of his mind, Michael knows that it’s nothing with Niall too - Niall’s always cuddly also and Michael remembers more than one instance where he watched him curl up in Harry or Liam’s lap and just doze off - but somehow he feels like more of a _threat_ or something. Especially when Michael remembers how much time Luke and Niall spent on tour, goofing off when Michael was too tired or homesick to do anything with Luke himself.  
   
It’s just - it’s taken Michael a long time to come to terms that he might be very, very into Luke. He’s not like, in love or anything, but well. Michael just likes making Luke smile and he likes cuddling with Luke more than he likes cuddling with anyone and sometimes when he gets into one of his moods and snaps at Luke, he feels a lot worse about it than when he does it to Cal or Ash.  
   
So, yeah, he’s just a bit jealous that Luke keeps scooting closer to Niall as the night wears on and that Niall’s arm slips down to Luke’s waist and that Michael’s left alone on his side of the couch.  
   
Sometime nearing midnight, Ashton asks if anyone knows any good ghost stories, and Michael rolls his eyes so hard he’s afraid they might fall out of his head. Calum offers to go first, telling some stupid tale they’ve all heard before. Despite that, Luke still spends the whole thing biting on his bottom lip in worry, chewing on that damn lip ring in a way that makes Michael a little dizzy.  
   
“I’ve got a good one,” Niall smirks when Calum’s finished and they’re all done laughing at how awful it was. “Might not be appropriate for children though,” he adds, playfully squeezing Luke’s ribs and making him let out a squeal of surprise. Michael tries not to scowl.  
   
“I’m not a child,” Luke pouts and Niall lets out a loud booming laugh.  
   
Niall makes Ashton turn down the lights and he brings up the flashlight app on his phone to highlight the contours of his face. He makes his voice all low and husky and okay - his story is a little scary, Michael has to admit. It’s scarier than Calum’s at the very least.  
Luke starts inching away from Niall as he tells the story, and Michael can’t help but smile smugly when Luke blindly reaches out and grabs his hand. It’s even better when Luke jumps in surprise at Niall’s words, landing half in Michael’s lap. Usually Michael would probably push him off, maybe laugh at him for being such a baby, but he just grabs onto Luke’s waist, pulling him closer.  
   
They’re all a bit on edge at the end of it and when Niall shouts, “And then he came out of the shadows and got them all!” he bursts into maniacal laughing that simmers down to uncontrollable giggles as Luke and Ashton both yelp.  
   
“Oh God, you boys crack me up,” Niall laughs, pulling Luke to him again and ruffling his hair while Luke whines in protest and Michael grumbles a bit at having Luke taken away from him.  
   
Luke punches Niall in the arm playfully. “That wasn’t funny at all.”  
   
“Yeah, you nearly gave poor Luke a heart attack,” Ashton says, giggling nervously and Calum rolls his eyes.  
   
“Yeah, and you weren’t scared at all were you, Ash? I swear I’m gonna have bruises from where you were holding my arm.”  
   
Michael scowls as Ashton and Calum bicker among themselves, and Niall apologizes to Luke with a sloppy kiss to the side of his head that makes Luke blush. The color in his cheeks leaves Michael with a bitter taste in his mouth and tightness in his chest.  
   
“Man, I am starving,” Niall says, suddenly. “D’ya have any real food in this house? Or d’ya fancy going out for a couple of pints?”  
   
“Going out sounds good actually,” Calum says. “There’s a great twenty-four hour takeaway place down the street.”  
   
They make plans quickly, but Michael doesn’t really feel up to it now. He’d been excited about Niall coming over at the beginning of the night, but now that he’s here, an awful part of Michael wishes he would just go home so Michael didn’t need to see Luke’s ridiculous heart eyes anymore. He knows he’s being dumb, but he just can’t help but feel upset.  
   
“Aren’t you coming, Mikey?” Luke asks when they’re all up and getting their coats on and Michael’s still left sitting sullenly on the couch.  
   
“Um, no, don’t think so. Bit tired, might turn in early. Didn’t sleep well last night, y’know?”  
   
Luke frowns and looks like he’s about to protest, but turns when Niall taps the back of his knees with one of his crutches. “Let Michael alone if he wants to go to sleep, Luke. ‘S okay, we’ll see him in the morning, right?”  
   
Michael doesn’t know if he should feel grateful or pissed off so he just nods, his mouth pressed in a tight line. Luke’s frown deepens but he gives Michael a quick hug that throws him a bit off guard. “We won’t be out too late. Promise.”  
   
“Have fun,” Michael says, and the soft smile that appears on his face is automatic, something he can never control when he’s around Luke.  
   
It’s too quiet in the house without the other boys and Michael really is knackered, so he heads off to the room he’s been sharing with Calum, stripping down and getting into bed. He can’t seem to fall asleep though, his mind buzzing with thoughts of Luke and Niall and he’s so frustrated.  
   
This isn’t like him. Michael doesn’t get jealous, at least not like this. Luke’s always been the exception with him though. Michael thinks it’s a bit sad really how Luke makes him into this big gooey mess sometimes, but well, there’s nothing he can really do about it now.  
   
Michael stays up for a while longer, following people on Twitter and answering a few DMs. Niall mentions him in a tweet and Michael doesn’t favorite, retweet, or reply to it out of spite and it gives him a weird sense of satisfaction.  
   
It’s late when the others finally get in and Michael hears their voices filter in through the door. He’s still up though, sitting propped up with against a bunch of pillows and playing Flappy Bird even though it’s doing nothing but getting him increasingly frustrated.  
   
Through the sounds of the damn bird’s flapping, Michael hears someone approaching the door, and he wonders if he should pretend to have fallen asleep, but his decision’s made when Luke opens the door, sticking his head through. “Michael? Mikey? Are you asleep?”  
   
“No,” Michael grumbles, locking his phone, and he can see Luke’s face brighten in the dim light filtering in from the hallway.  
   
Luke scrambles into the room, closing the door behind him and climbing into Michael’s bed with him. He smells like Thai food and beer.  
   
“Why didn’t you come out with us if you weren’t gonna go to sleep?” Luke asks, snuggling up to him, rubbing his cold nose against Michael’s neck and making him shiver.  
   
Michael runs a hand through Luke’s hair half-heartedly but it’s enough to make Luke hum in approval. “I tried to go to sleep just - couldn’t.”  
   
“Do you want to hear what we did with Niall then?”  
   
“No, I don’t want to hear what you did with _Niall_ ,” Michael scoffs, and it comes out a lot more harshly than he intended.  
   
Luke recoils slightly, his frown set deep and forehead crinkled. “Michael, are you okay? You’ve been sort of off all day.”  
   
Michael groans and he just - he doesn’t want to deal with this. Doesn’t want to deal with his stupid jealousy and stupid Luke and stupid _feelings_. He wishes that it wasn’t like this, that he didn’t have to like Luke in this way because this is way too hard sometimes.  
   
“I’m fine,” Michael snaps, pushing Luke away and ignoring the way his heart sinks down to somewhere near his butt at the hurt on Luke’s face.  
   
Something in Luke’s face shifts though, and he looks more angry than upset. That Michael can deal with. Michael doesn’t mind Luke getting angry with him because Michael can get angry too, but when Luke’s upset it’s - it’s just plain awful.  
   
“What the hell is up with you?” Luke slurs, and Michael forgot that he’s probably quite drunk. Luke’s always been a bit of a light-weight.  
   
“Nothing, just – I want to go sleep Luke. Go like hang out with Niall or whatever and leave me alone.”  
   
Luke looks a bit like he’s about to yell or something but instead he deflates, crawling off the bed with one last frown. He leaves through the door with a slump in his shoulders that makes Michael’s stomach churn uncomfortably.  
   
\--  
   
Michael barely sleeps that night, tossing and turning because he feels _bad_. He hates getting angry with Luke. Like occasionally he gets a bit snippy or whatever, but he rarely gets genuinely angry. Michael doesn’t even know why he’s angry because it’s not like Luke actually did anything. He just feels moody and pissy and out of sorts.  
   
He’s only gotten a few hours of sleep when Calum wakes him up with a pillow to the face as a reminder that he has to tweet about the single dropping. Michael doesn’t even get out of bed, just reaches for his phone blindly before typing something out tiredly and retweeting the first few comments he sees on his timeline.  
   
Calum has to actually drag him out of bed and into the sitting room where Ashton’s sitting and beaming at his phone. Niall and Luke are both in the kitchen area, sitting at the table, and whispering quietly. Luke frowns at something Niall says and Niall laughs loudly at his confused expression. Michael tries to ignore them.  
   
“What’s wrong with you?” Calum asks, poking Michael in the cheek when they’ve sat down. “You should be happy, man. We just released our first single. We need to celebrate!”  
   
Michael just shakes his head and tries to smile. Calum’s right. He shouldn’t be so hung up on this Niall and Luke thing. Their single just dropped on their record label and this is all he’s ever wanted in life – to make music that people loves. But he risks a quick glance towards the kitchen and the smile drops right off his face when he sees Luke sinking easily into Niall’s arms.  
   
Calum follows his gaze and his mouth forms an “o” in understanding. “Is this something about Luke? You know he was really upset last night after he went to check up on you.”  
   
“It’s nothing,” Michael grumbles, his eyes straying to Luke again.  
   
“You’re jealous aren’t you?” Calum grins, poking Michael in the ribs this time and making him squirm. “Oh my God, you’re totally jealous. You’re jealous of _Niall_.”  
   
“I’m not jealous.”  
   
Calum rolls his eyes. “You’re such an arse you know that?”  
   
“Excuse me?” Michael scowls.  
   
Calum knows, of course, about Michael’s _crush_ or whatever this is on Luke. Calum’s been his best friend forever basically, and there’s no way that Michael wouldn’t tell him. Sometimes he wishes that he’d kept it to himself however.  
   
“You’re being a dick,” Calum says, but he doesn’t look mad, just amused. “Like there’s literally nothing to be jealous of you know that right? Luke doesn’t like Niall and Niall definitely doesn’t like Luke.”  
   
“I know, I know. I just – I just can’t help it,” Michael groans. “It’s like, sometimes Luke gives him these looks and it makes me so mad because I want him to look at me like that y’know. Not stupid bloody Niall.”  
   
“Luke looks at everyone like that. I’m pretty sure he’s a little bit in love with everyone he’s ever talked to. But you know he gives you that look more often than he gives it to anyone else right?”  
   
Michael didn’t know that, and he doesn’t have a lot of time to dwell on the thought either because Luke’s walking towards him, a determined look on his face.  
   
“Can I talk to you, Michael? Like alone?”  
   
Luke looks at Calum who shrugs and squeezes Michael’s shoulders, saying, “Don’t be a dick,” before going to join Ashton on the other couch.  
   
Luke grabs Michael’s arm and leads them into Michael’s bedroom, closing the door behind them.  
   
“So, I was talking to Niall –”  
   
“Were you?” Michael interrupts without really meaning to. He really wishes he knew how to keep his mouth closed.  
   
Luke looks like he’s trying not to roll his eyes, and he continues like he wasn’t cut off. “I was talking to Niall and he told me something very interesting.”  
   
“Which was?”  
   
Luke bites down on lip like he always does when he’s nervous and steps closer to Michael who’s leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.  
   
“Well, I told him about like how you were upset with me yesterday. And he said that you might be like jealous? Which I don’t really understand, because what would you be jealous of?”  
   
It’s Michael’s turn to look nervous. His breath catches in his throat a little and he is _so_ not prepared for this. He didn’t think he’d have to deal with this anytime soon, but Luke’s looking at him with wide, expectant eyes, and he can’t – he can’t like or anything.  
   
Michael sighs. “I was jealous.”  
   
“Why?” Luke asks, his eyes widening farther.  
   
“Because I like you, you idiot. Like I want to see you smile and make you laugh and I want you to cuddle with me and maybe do a little more than cuddle with me and I _don’t_ want to see you hanging all over Niall and looking at him like he fucking hung the moon or something,” Michael groans, and it feels good, letting it all out finally. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off his chest or something.  
   
Luke’s staring at him with his mouth open a little in surprise before stuttering out, “You _like_ me? But – but I always though. Well I don’t know what I thought actually. But I didn’t think you like – are you – are you sure? Like do you really? Because Michael I’ve liked you for like ever and if you think this is some joke, I swear to God it’s not fucking funny –”  
   
Michael’s heart leaps a little in his chest because – fuck. Luke just – Luke just said he’s liked Michael forever and Michael’s never heard anything more beautiful in his life.  
   
Luke’s still rambling on a little, making little sense and Michael just rolls his eyes fondly before saying, “Shut up, Luke.”  
   
Michael closes the small gap between them, pulling Luke in by the front of his shirt and bringing their mouths together. Luke lets out a little squeak of surprise when Michael starts kissing him, but it doesn’t take long for him to kiss back. Luke’s lips are very soft and he taste like mint toothpaste and the cold metal of his lip ring sends shivers down Michael’s spine and Michael thinks he wants to kiss him forever.  
   
When they pull apart, Luke’s eyes are closed and he’s breathing a bit heavily, but he’s got a huge smile on his face too, like he can’t believe what’s just happened.  
   
“It’s not a joke, you idiot,” Michael finally says, steepling their foreheads together. “I really do like you.”  
   
Luke’s smile widens impossibly and he kisses Michael again.  
   
\--  
   
When they stumble out of the bedroom, their clothes are a little rumpled and Michael’s sure his lips are all kiss swollen and there’s a lovebite blooming on Luke’s neck. Niall’s sitting between Ashton and Calum on the couch, smiling up at them expectantly.  
   
“You work out your shit then?” he grins, laughing brightly.  
   
Michael smiles sheepishly, his stomach fluttering at the blush creeping up Luke’s cheeks. He takes Luke’s hand in his, intertwining their fingers, and Luke smiles back at him.  
   
“Yeah, I think we’ve got it all worked out,” Michael says and Ashton and Calum crow loudly, running up and forcing them into a group hug.  
   
“Fucking finally,” Ashton exclaims, “took you two long enough.”  
   
Michael laughs and pushes him away so he can get to Niall who’s still seated on the couch.  
   
“Sorry I was being a bit of a dick last night,” Michael apologizes and Niall just smiles, slinging an arm across his shoulders and cuddling Michael into his side.  
   
“It’s okay, Mikey, really. Jealousy can be a bitch, I understand,” Niall says, his eyes sparkling, and Michael tries not to let the flush in his cheeks show. “But you know, I expect to be best man at your wedding now, right? Like, I’m pretty much the reason you got together.”  
   
“Oh my God,” Michael says, burying his face in Niall’s neck, “I think it’s a bit too soon to think about marriage.”  
   
“Yeah, plus we all know I’m gonna be best man,” Calum adds, leading Ashton to let out a whine of protest.  
   
Michael feels the couch sink down next to him and he’s suddenly being pulled away from Niall by familiar hands.  
   
“Don’t like you cuddling with Niall. Cuddle with me,” Luke grumbles, and Michael beams, turning towards Luke and pressing a soft kiss to his lips before snuggling deeper into his side. 


End file.
